Satellites observe glacier committing “ice piracy”
A glacier in Antarctica is committing “ice piracy” – stealing ice from a neighbour – in a phenomenon that has never been observed in such a short time frame, say scientists.
A glacier in Antarctica is committing “ice piracy” – stealing ice from a neighbour – in a phenomenon that has never been observed in such a short time frame, say scientists.
Academics from Northumbria University are part of an international research team which has used data from satellites to track changes in the thickness of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
The UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM), based at Northumbria University, has been awarded over £400,000 by the European Space Agency (ESA) to investigate tipping points in the Earth’s icy regions, known as the cryosphere, with a focus on the Antarctic.
Northumbria University has announced a multi-million pound investment in its first university-wide high-performance computing facility which will give researchers access to state-of-the-art technology built to handle large scientific datasets at high speeds.
Major differences in the way that Antarctica’s ice sheets formed millions of years ago could be the reason why ice is melting faster today than predicted, especially in West Antarctica, an international research team has discovered. The surprising findings, detailed in unique geological sediment samples from drill cores, provide insights into when and where today’s Antarctic ice sheets formed.
A new research synthesis co-authored by an international group of 29 ice sheet experts states that future rises in sea level could be better estimated by gaining a clearer understanding of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets.